


Going Home Again

by Audrey_Lynne



Category: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Power Rangers
Genre: F/M, Growing Up, Insecurity, Life is hard, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Power Rangers Reunion, References to Depression, Returning Home, Tags Are Hard, The Author Regrets Nothing, Tommy Oliver is an overgrown puppy and we love that, Weddings, good bros
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-17
Updated: 2019-06-10
Packaged: 2019-11-21 07:52:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18139460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Audrey_Lynne/pseuds/Audrey_Lynne
Summary: Statistically, at least one of them had to end up perfectly average.  Kim just hadn't planned on it being her.  But when you start saving the world at 15, where do you go from there?Set present-day.  Jason's upcoming wedding has Kimberly re-evaluating her life and how it compares to where she'd hoped to be.  A reunion might be just what she needs to get back on track...





	1. Just Another Day

* * *

 

_Jacksonville, Florida_

_Present Day_

 

                “Athletics Department, this is Kim, how can I help you?”  It was a greeting Kimberly Hart could recite in her sleep – and had, in fact, answered her personal phone with before after a particularly hectic day.

                Kim was prepared for any number of requests or reactions from the caller on the other end of the line, but a snorting laugh had not been among them.  “Don’t use that customer service voice on _me_ , doll.”

                If she hadn’t recognized the voice instantly, Kim would have been more put out about being referred to as “doll,” especially at work.  She glanced at the caller ID – if she’d looked before, “California Institute of the Arts” would have been a dead giveaway.  “Hello, Colin.”  Billy’s husband, who had become a good friend of Kim’s in his own right.  He sounded too cheerful for anything to be wrong, but he also didn’t typically call her at work.  “Is it a slow day at CalArts?”

                “Not really,” he replied, “but I did just get off a conference call with your fine university’s theatre department.  Did you know Terrence Mann went there?”

                “It’s been in the newsletter a few times.”  Kim wasn’t particularly busy herself; she could indulge him.  “Did you have them transfer you to me because you were bored, or did you just miss me?”

                “Bit of both.”  Colin chuckled.  “Actually, there’s a legitimate issue regarding the wedding.”

                “Oh?”  Jason’s wedding was in a week, and the last thing Kim wanted to hear about were complications.  “How big of an issue?”

                “Well, it’s not an issue for him.  But the hotel screwed up our reservations, and instead of two rooms, they gave us a room with two queen beds.”

                Kimberly frowned.  Colin had offered to handle all the local arrangements for her, and so far that had been going swimmingly.  Until this.  “Can’t they just fix it?”

                Colin made an irritated noise.  “Already tried, but they’re booked solid.  Apparently, the wedding’s not the only thing going down that weekend.  But…in the interests of making lemons out of lemonade and all that, there _are_ two beds.  Billy and I certainly don’t mind a roommate.”

                That was a decent solution, she had to admit.  Kim – still single – hadn’t wanted to push herself on them, but if Colin was offering, she would certainly take him up on it.  “Okay, that works.  If you guys are sure.”

                “Of _course_ we’re sure,” Colin insisted.  “I mean, you’re staying at our place anyway beforehand, so why not?  There’s no such thing as too much togetherness when it comes to you.”

                “Flattery will get you everywhere.”  Kim laughed, glancing up as she saw a student walking into the main office.  “I’ve got to go.  I’ll call you tonight.”  And, with that, it was back to her usual routine.

                Jacksonville University’s athletics department was a good place to work.  It kept her occupied, paid her bills, and treated her well.  But Kim couldn’t help but find herself frustrated sometimes – not with her employer, but herself.  She was an administrative assistant…good work, but hardly where she’d pictured herself.  The upcoming wedding had her on edge.  It would be good to see so many of her friends again, but it would be the first time in decades she’d seen many of them.  Billy was the only one Kim had been in regular contact with.  The others, she talked to occasionally – but enough to know what they’d been doing with their lives and feel like hers paled in comparison. 

                Her life as a professional gymnast had ended not long after it began, when she’d injured her shoulder.  It had healed, but she hadn’t been able to remain competitive.  That had put her into an emotional tailspin she’d mostly been able to ignore until Trini had been killed in a car accident.  Kim hadn’t wanted her first trip back to Angel Grove after the Divatox incident to be a funeral, but life had other plans.  Kim fallen into a deep depression after losing Trini, taking whatever job she could manage, until she’d found her way to the university.  With a good therapist – and benefits to afford it – she’d been doing well the past several years.  But there had been a good chunk of time where advancing her career took a backseat to taking care of herself – and, sometimes, just getting through the day.  Kim knew her friends wouldn’t judge her, but that didn’t stop her from judging herself.

                She hadn’t seen or been in contact with Tommy since the Divatox disaster, either.  He’d been on a dig in South America when Trini died and hadn’t been able to make it back in time.  While this was certainly a much happier way to reunite, Kim feared it could be awkward.  There hadn’t been time before to sort out everything that happened between them.  Kim didn’t know how he felt about it, but she wanted to explain things.  She still had regrets about how things had ended between them.  Did he even want an explanation after so long?  Kim had no idea, but she felt she owed it to him anyway.  No matter what, it was obvious he hadn’t been idle.  Clearly, he was thriving, and she was happy for him.  When a new Ranger team had popped up in Reefside – where Tommy just so _happened_ to be teaching – Kim had known who their leader must be. 

                That was what she kept coming back to, in her mind – her time as a Power Ranger.  Kim wouldn’t have traded any of it for the world, but when she’d gotten used to saving the world regularly from sophomore year on, her current situation felt like…well, she didn’t know what, exactly, but definitely not meeting her potential.  Statistically, at least _one_ of them should have turned out perfectly average, but Kim supposed no one ever counted on it being them.  Her friends had answered the question of “where do we go from that?” with many things – owning their own studios, teaching in universities, saving lives as paramedics…and here she was, answering calls and managing appointment calendars.  It was a good job and certainly nothing shameful – Kim didn’t believe there _were_ any shameful jobs, if one was trying to help others – but this premature mid-life crisis she’d fallen into had her micro-analyzing _everything_.

                A reminder popped up on her phone as she headed home that evening – she needed to make sure she bought a dress for the wedding.  Shopping didn’t thrill her _quite_ as much as it used to in her teenage years, but she rather enjoyed it.  And online shopping meant she could enjoy it in her pajamas. 

Kim found the perfect dress quickly – it was exactly her style and would arrive in plenty of time – but she paused as she looked over the color choices.  The dress was available in a lovely shade of purple, a teal she liked but wasn’t wowed by, and…pink.  It was a beautiful raspberry shade, but it gave her pause.  Kim had very few pink items in her wardrobe these days.  She didn’t dislike the color, but it was a vivid reminder of so many things.  Would wearing pink be the perfect callback?  Would it feel too much like she was grasping at her glory days? 

Was she completely overanalyzing this?  Probably.

Before Kim could decide on a color, her phone started chirping at her with an incoming video message.  It was Jason’s number, but when Kim picked up, she was greeted with his eight-year-old daughter, Amanda.  “Auntie Kim!”

“Hey, munchkin.”  Kim smiled; it was impossible for her to get lost in her head when talking to Amanda.  The girl had some great timing.  “Are you getting ready for the big day?”

“Yeah!”  Amanda nodded enthusiastically, disappearing from the screen for a second but returning with a teddy bear that was holding a heart.  “Lauren got me this!”

Obviously, Jason’s fiancée was doing her best to bond with Amanda, and Kim was glad to see it.  She knew Jason would have always put his daughter first, but as someone who’d dealt with the rollercoaster ride that gaining a new step-parent could be, she knew good intentions didn’t always ensure a smooth ride.  “That’s great!”

Amanda grinned.  “She says I don’t have to call her Mom, but it’s cool if I want to.  I don’t know what I’m gonna do yet.”  She shrugged, spreading her hands.

“You don’t have to decide right away,” Kim assured her. 

“So, did you get a dress yet?” Amanda asked.  “We’ve gotta get a picture of all of us girls together in our dresses!”

Kim laughed.  “As a matter of fact, I just found one before you called.”  This was the perfect opportunity to get a second opinion.  “What do you think, should I go with purple or pink?”

Amanda looked thoughtful, chewing on her bottom lip.  She appeared to be taking this decision very seriously.  “Pink.  Definitely pink.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because it’s _my_ favorite color!”  Amanda giggled.  “But if you like purple better, you should wear that, I guess.”  In the background, Jason called her name, and Amanda turned toward her bedroom door.  “I’m talking to Auntie Kim!  Come say hi!”

Jason did, and waved cheerfully as he took the phone from Amanda.  “I hope it’s not too late for you – she’s still working on understanding time zones.” 

Kim glanced at the clock – it was nearly ten PM.  She could have sworn it was earlier.  “Nah, I was just grabbing a few things for the wedding.”

“Like a dress!” Amanda added.

“Like a dress,” Kim confirmed.  “You ready?”

“Oh, not even a little bit.”  Jason laughed.  “But I will be.”  He’d never married Amanda’s mother; she hadn’t wanted to commit.  She’d gone her own way, though Jason said she did call on Amanda’s birthday and holidays.  Kim was glad he’d finally found someone who wholeheartedly loved him _and_ Amanda; he certainly deserved it.  “It’s gonna happen whether I’m ready or not.”

After a few more minutes, the conversation wrapped up, and Kim found herself contemplating the dress again.  While Amanda’s logic had been simple, it wasn’t wrong – go with what felt right.  Kim smiled, and selected the pink.

 

* * *

 


	2. It All Comes Back

* * *

 

 

_Chicago, Illinois_

As much as she’d been trying to stop comparing things to her time as a Ranger, every time she traveled, Kim _really_ missed teleporting.  Especially when there were layovers involved.  O’Hare was a nice enough airport, but it was _huge_ , and getting from one terminal to another to make a tight connection could be a challenge.  Fortunately, Kim managed to make it with a good fifteen minutes to spare, and she collapsed down into one of the chairs at her gate, pulling out her phone to see what messages she’d missed during her first flight.  Billy had texted her to let her know he was going to be in a meeting at UCLA, but he’d arranged for someone to meet her at the airport in Los Angeles. Beyond that, there wasn’t much worth noting.  It at least gave her a few minutes to try to relax.

Kim had been through this airport many times, but the last time had been when she was going home for Trini’s funeral.  Obviously, that wasn’t the most pleasant of associations, but none of her other trips through there had been particularly memorable.  At least this time, it was a wedding, with plenty of happier memories to be made.  And maybe one of these days, she’d take Zack up on his offer to crash at his place in Chicago and let him show her around the city.  He owned and ran what he called “a little dance studio on the north side of town,” nestled in one of the arts districts.  Kim hadn’t been surprised when she looked it up online to find it was indeed small, but also highly acclaimed. 

Her phone buzzed with a follow-up message from Billy.  _Confirmed - your ride’s going to meet you at the Central Terminal.  Text 310-555-2855 when you get off the plane._

 _Thanks – you’re the best,_ she sent back quickly, glancing up as she heard her flight was about to begin boarding.  She would have been fine to get to Billy and Colin’s place on her own, but Angel Grove _was_ a good forty-five minutes from the airport in decent traffic.  It didn’t hurt to have a plan already in place.

As she settled into her seat, Kim glanced out the window at the activity on the tarmac.  It always reminded her of the time she’d spent jetting from city to city for this competition or that – or heading off to Paris to visit her mother.  She hadn’t been back to Paris since she’d lost her mother three years ago; maybe she needed to remedy that.  It would be nice to see Pierre again; he’d made every attempt to maintain a relationship with her, and she appreciated that.  Kim was finally in a good place after so long where she couldn’t claim that.  The last big step was going to be this weekend, letting go of her own insecurities and just embracing who and where she was.  Easier said than done, Kim knew, but she was beginning to feel optimistic that this wedding – and the reunion it was bringing about – might be exactly what she needed.

 

* * *

 

 

_Los Angeles, California_

Kim approached the Central Terminal pick-up area, glancing around for the black Mercedes she’d been told to expect.  There was more than one, but when she saw the lanky figure leaning against the nearest car, she laughed and knew that had to be it.  “Skull?!”

A lot about him had changed over the years – clearly – but the lopsided grin was still the same.  “Hey.  Heard you needed a ride.”

Kim couldn’t help but laugh.  “Billy sent you?”

“Yeah.”  Skull shrugged, chuckling a bit himself.  “Probably should’ve just told you upfront, but I thought it’d be kind of fun to make it a surprise.”

“Well, I’m certainly surprised.”  But not displeased.  Kim had just been thinking on the plane about how she needed to get back to her roots, hadn’t she?  “You sure you don’t mind?”

“Nah, of course not.”  Skull opened the passenger’s door for her, smiling.  “Anything for an old friend.  And, besides, I owe Billy a favor.  He set me up with a pretty great tutor for my kid.”

Kim had heard Skull had a son, and as she buckled her seat belt, she noticed the photo on the dashboard of Bulk with a teenage boy.  “Is that him?”

“Yeah, Spike.”  The fatherly pride in Skull’s tone couldn’t be ignored.  “He’s a great kid.”

As they chatted, catching up, Kim learned that Skull had inherited a limousine from his late uncle and used it to start a chauffer service, leading to a lucrative business.  The money he’d always seemed to chase after in his youth hadn’t changed him much, though, at least as far as Kim could tell.  He was still a little rough around the edges, a little goofy, but awkwardly sweet.  And as a once-ubiquitous 90’s pop song came on the radio, she could see him mouthing along with the lyrics.  Did it strike her as the type of music Kim would have thought he’d taken notice of?  Not exactly.  But, then, she supposed no one had been able to get through 1995 without hearing it a dozen times.  She laughed, humming along herself.  Before she knew it, they were both singing along and blasting the song as they cruised down the interstate as fast as evening traffic would allow.

 

* * *

 

Kim hadn’t exactly been paying attention to the scenery last time she’d driven into Angel Grove, so in the twilight, she found herself taking in the changes.  It was still mostly the same – many of the old fixtures were there, at least along the route they took.  But like any city, it had changed in the decades she’d been away.  As they turned onto Ocean View Drive – which had no actual view of the ocean, something she’d once laughed about as a child – Kim watched a couple of children laughing as they chased each other down the sidewalks.  It reminded her of when she and her friends had come to this neighborhood to play because it was one of the ritzier ones and therefore had the best playground equipment.  And now Billy lived here.  She was hardly shocked – in fact, she’d have been more surprised if he _hadn’t_ ended up doing well, teaching quantum physics to graduate students.  But it was nice, to see him settled – and, more importantly, _happy_.  He’d struggled greatly in the aftermath of Trini’s death as well, and while it had brought them closer, Kim was delighted to embrace brighter times.

Kim thanked Skull again for the ride, exchanging numbers and swearing they’d stay in touch, before approaching the front door.  It opened before she had a chance to knock, and in the excitement of the moment, Kim found herself throwing her arms around Billy’s neck as she hugged him.  He hardly seemed to mind, laughing and enthusiastically returning the hug. 

Colin moved in for a hug as well as Kim released Billy.  “Welcome to Camelot!”

“Camelot?” Kim asked.  She understood the literary reference, but knowing Colin, that might not have been exactly what he meant.

“That’s what we call this place,” Colin explained.

“That’s what _you_ call it,” Billy pointed out, shaking his head affectionately.  “Don’t mind him.  He gives _everything_ nicknames.”  He picked up Kim’s suitcase.  “Come on, I’ll show you the guest room.”

Kim nodded, following him, though as she walked down the hall, one framed photo caught her eye.  It was her, Billy, Zack, Jason, and Trini, posing together on Halloween.  That had been just a few months before they’d met Zordon and everything changed.  “Wow.  I haven’t seen this picture in forever.”

Billy paused beside her, smiling as he followed her gaze.  “I found it in my parents’ attic a few years back.  I’ll send you a copy.”

“That’d be nice.”  Looking back, they all looked ridiculously young – considering that, within a year, they’d be piloting giant robots before some of them even had their driver’s licenses.  “Man, we had no idea what was coming, did we?”  She tried to keep the question intentionally vague, not sure exactly how much Colin knew about Billy’s past.

Billy chuckled, squeezing her arm lightly.  “No, we sure didn’t.”

 

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and the kudos! For the curious, this tale is intended to be as canon-compliant as I can manage...for now. As for how Billy got back from Aquitar, that's coming in the next chapter. :) I work full-time and I'm in the process of moving, but I'm writing as fast as I can! (Fun, pointless fact: Ocean View Drive - with its oceanless view - is what I called the street Billy lived on back when lil' tween me was writing MMPR fanfic during the first run...so I couldn't resist the throwback.) Also, I've always imagined Angel Grove to be part of the greater Los Angeles area rather than a stand-in for LA, so I've designed my mental map of the PR universe accordingly.


	3. Space Oddity

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your kudos, comments, and patience on this next chapter! I'm going to try to get them out on a more regular schedule, but I do work full-time night shift and I'm in grad school, so I squeeze this bit of stress relief in where I can. I hope you enjoy. As promised, Billy's return from Aquitar...and one of the weirdest meet-cutes in history.

* * *

 

 

Kim had been a little surprised when Colin volunteered to “whip something up” for dinner; she had never heard him express much of an interest in cooking.  After a few moments, however, he emerged from the kitchen and handed her his phone with a food delivery app open.   She chuckled, taking it to browse her options.  “I see you know my favorite recipe.”

Colin grinned, settling down on the couch in the open spot between Kim and Billy, draping an arm over each of them.  After a moment, he pulled his arm back from Kim a few inches.  “Forgive my forwardness.  I forget that those years of texts and FaceTime doesn’t necessarily mean we’re on that level.” 

“Oh, no, you’re fine.”  While it was, technically, the first time they’d been in the same physical location, those years of communication had built a strong enough friendship between them that she was comfortable.  “Thanks for asking, though.”  Not everyone would have even thought to, unfortunately.

Colin cheerfully resettled himself, taking the phone and passing it to Billy after Kim placed her order.  “If you haven’t figured it out yet, our home cooking around here is basically survival food.  It’ll feed you, but it’s nothing to write home about.  If you’re looking for _that_ kind of bed-and-breakfast service, it’s not too late to see if Rocky’s got room at his apartment.  I hear paramedics work weird hours, too; you might get the place to yourself a lot.”

Kim laughed; she’d heard Rocky was a great cook.  “Thanks, but I live by myself…I get more than enough of that back in Florida.”  It occurred to her that, by now, she had spent more of her life living in Florida than she had Angel Grove…but it was rare for her to refer to it as home except on address forms.  Angel Grove had always held onto that title – in her heart as well as her head. 

Billy smiled.  “Well, you know you’re always welcome here.”  He passed the phone back to Colin.  “Seriously, it’s been too long.  I know life sort of got in the way for a while there, but…”

“Yeah, definitely,” Kim agreed.  They’d both been going through a lot, but now that those darker days were behind them, they had to be sure to keep happy reunions from becoming a rarity again.  Even though Billy had been much nearer to most of the others, Kim knew he’d isolated himself while he tried to bury his pain by throwing himself into academia.  It was better than other things he could have turned to, at least.  While Billy hadn’t gone into many of the details of his emotional collapse and subsequent recovery, Kim hadn’t spoken much of hers outside of therapy sessions, either.  When they’d gotten back in touch again, Billy was dating Colin.  It had quickly become apparent to Kim that there was something significant there, and she was thrilled for them when Billy shyly announced they’d gotten married.  “It’s too bad you two didn’t have a wedding; we could have done this a few years ago.”

“I keep saying that.”  Colin nodded enthusiastically.  “All this wedding prep has me wistful.  Of course, it’s probably my fault for daring him to go big or go home.  Dr. Cranston here does nothing in half measures.”

Kim smiled affectionately as Billy blushed a bit.  “He never has.”

“Yeah, I didn’t get the impression anyone in your friend group did, really.”  Colin dropped the phone into his lap.  “Okay, the food will be here in a half hour or so.  That’s more than enough time for you to finally tell me what happened with you and Tommy Oliver.”

Kim wasn’t sure how to react to that initially, watching instead while Billy shook his head, putting a palm to his face.  “Oh, my God, could you _be_ less subtle?”

“What?” Colin shrugged as best he could from his current position.  “I’ve been dying to know for years, and your ‘ _It’s not my story to tell’_ bit is admirable, but it certainly doesn’t explain how the power couple of Angel Grove High, my personal OTP, just up and…poof, one day is gone with a letter.” 

“I told you, I don’t actually know,” Billy insisted.  “And it’s not our business anyway.”

Colin turned to give Kim a more serious look.  “Okay, for real.  If you don’t want to talk about that, I can respect it.  But if you’ll indulge my nosiness…”

“Later.”  After so long, Kim found she was willing to explain, but she felt she owed Tommy that story before anyone else got it.  “It’ll probably take longer than a half hour, anyway.”  She frowned as what he said about being personally invested clicked.  “Wait, did you go to Angel Grove High at the same time as us?”  While she never would have claimed to know everyone in the school, Kim thought a personality like Colin’s would have stood out.

Colin nodded.  “Yeah, but I was two years younger than you guys and your circles didn’t cross paths with the weird drama kids often.  Plus, with you all having to dash off to save the world every other day…”

Well, Kim supposed that answered the question of if Colin had any idea about Billy’s life as a Ranger.  She glanced at Billy for confirmation.  “He knows?”  She hadn’t been in any relationships that had gotten serious enough for her to even have to make that call, so she certainly wasn’t judging – and, technically, at this point, she supposed the secrecy was mostly self-imposed out of respect to Zordon’s legacy. 

Billy chuckled, nodding.  “He knows.  Given how we met, it was bound to come up eventually.”

Kim tried to remember that story, then realized she’d never actually heard it.  “Oh, now _that_ sounds like a good one to fill the time.”

“Wait, I never told you?”  Judging from the way they both lit up at the mention, it had to be quite the tale.  “It was right after I came back from Aquitar…literally.”

Come to think of it, Billy had never fully explained that to her, either.  Kim knew he’d gone to the planet in search of their Eternal Falls, then stayed after meeting someone, but he’d been back on Earth before Trini’s accident.  “Maybe you should start with that part.”

“Oh…yeah, probably.”  Billy turned to face her more, looking thoughtful.  “I told everyone I’d stayed because I fell in love with Cestria…and, honestly, I thought I had.  She was gentle and kind, but…something still didn’t feel right as the time went by.  All those weird feelings with my sexuality I’d struggled with got a lot harder to ignore, the more time I had on my hands.  And I had a lot of it.  Too much sometimes.  At the same time, I think it was exactly what I needed to come to terms with everything.  And Cestria was wonderful.  I worried about hurting her when I finally worked up the courage to talk to her about it, but she just told me I had to live my truth.  I guess it helps that they don’t have the same taboos as we do about it on Aquitar.  To them, it’s just another natural variation.  Earth could certainly take a lesson.  And once I’d worked through that…I had even more time on my hands, so I built a ship.”

“To come home?” Kim asked.

“That wasn’t the original intent, actually.”  Billy laughed.  “But, as usual, the universe was apparently just sitting back and waiting for me to get cocky…”  He looked at Colin.  “You want to take it from here?”

“Oh, but of course.”  Colin rubbed his hands together excitedly.  “Picture it – Angel Grove, 2006.  An internationally-ignored young actor is playing Prince Herbert – and other roles – in a regional production of Spamalot…”

 

* * *

 

_September 2006_

Angel Grove’s beaches were popular, especially since the number of monster attacks had sharply declined, but there were a few hidden gems that remained largely undisturbed.  Those were perfect for photoshoots, and Colin had arrived first to scout out a good spot.  Unfortunately, they were all coming straight from rehearsal, in costume, and while a medieval dressing gown might have been fine to gallivant around in on stage, it was proving cumbersome when scaling real terrain.  Once he’d successfully climbed to a rocky ledge about ten feet up, however, he couldn’t help but appreciate the view while he waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.  He’d eyed several potentially good spots, especially if they were able to get to work before the tide rolled in.  Had he been less occupied, he might have noticed the small craft that was falling from the sky before he heard it – and by the time he heard, it was crashing into the beach.  Fortunately for any occupants, it was close enough to the water’s edge that none of the sparks turned into full-blown flames, but Colin stood frozen to his spot for several moments while he stared.  As an Angel Grove native, he had come to expect the unexpected to a certain degree, but this ship’s design certainly didn’t look like it had originated on Earth. 

“Maybe it’s just a satellite, maybe it’s just a satellite,” he repeated to himself as he climbed back down to the beach, warily approaching the wreckage.  Every ounce of self-preservation he possessed was screaming at him to turn around and run the other way, but his ever-deepening curiosity won out.  He grabbed a piece of driftwood – for what, he wasn’t sure.  Poking it?  Protection?  The only fighting experience he had was choreographed scenes…

A hatch popped open, and Colin yelped as something – no, someone – tumbled out onto the wet sand.  The masculine-looking figure stood, looking dazed as he brushed himself off.  He looked very human, which made Colin slightly less nervous – but not much.  Scientists, diplomats…they would have all been better for potential first contact with someone from another world.  Instead, Earth had a C-list actor armed with a piece of driftwood.  It would have to do.

“You’re an actor…just… _act_ ,” Colin hissed to himself as he moved forward, gently setting the driftwood down to appear less of a threat and raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.  He stepped forward, bracing himself.  “Hello.  We come in peace.”  Cliché, yes, but he wasn’t exactly trained for this.

The person from the ship appeared confused by this, cocking his head to the side.  “…this is Angel Grove, right?”  Clearly, he spoke English, but Colin also supposed any society advanced enough to build a spaceship could also have translation technology.

“Yes.”  Colin nodded, grateful they were getting somewhere and also that he had not been immediately murdered.  “Angel Grove, of Earth.”

The man nodded, apparently satisfied, then squinted at Colin again.  “What _year_ is it?”

“Um, 2006.”  Colin frowned, then looked down at his costume.  “Oh!  I’m…an actor.  On our planet, we—”

The man held up a hand to cut Colin off, shaking his head.  “I know, I’m _from_ Earth.”

“You’re – what?”  It made sense, all things considered, except it didn’t explain the situation at all.  “Then how…?”

“It’s a very long story.”  The man stepped forward, offering a handshake.  “My name’s Billy.”

“Colin.”  As Colin shook Billy’s hand, seeing him up close, a memory sparked.  “Wait…Billy Cranston?  You went to Angel Grove High?”

“Yes!”  Billy brightened immediately, seemingly relieved they were making progress in this awkward situation.  “I’m…sorry, I don’t—”

“We never formally met.”  Colin shrugged, a little sheepish now that he realized he’d managed to make this situation a lot bigger than it really was.  Mostly.  The whole spaceship thing had yet to be explained, but if anyone from Angel Grove High would have managed to build one, Colin figured it would have been Billy.  “Colin Mercer, drama club weirdo.”  He glanced down the beach to see the rest of the crew arriving and noticing the ship’s wreckage.  “Hey, guys!  Don’t worry!  Weird satellite, I guess.  Just crashed.  We just gotta make sure that doesn’t get in the photos.” He glanced back at Billy.  “It’d sort of ruin the whole 932 AD look.”

“Fair enough.”  Billy seemed a little relieved he wouldn’t be put on the spot immediately.  “I…thank you.  I should probably get back into town now, though.  I’ve got some friends who can help me take care of…that.”

“No problem.”  Colin shrugged.  “Here, let me give you my number.  Long stories I get, but you can’t just crash a spaceship in front of me without explaining eventually, right?” 

 

* * *

 

_Present Day_

Kim wiped the tears – of laughter – from her eye with a napkin.  The story had taken longer than a half hour, but they’d been enjoying their dinner while Colin and Billy continued.  “That’s amazing.”

Colin grinned.  “I’d always said the perfect man wasn’t going to just fall out of the sky, but…mine did.”

Billy smiled back at him.  “Well, I’d thought a secluded beach would be the perfect place to aim for when my propulsion systems failed outside of Earth’s orbit, but…”

“Oh, it was the perfect place, trust me,” Colin assured him.  He took another bite of his lo mein before continuing.  “So, anyway, we got together for coffee a few days later, saw each other here and there for a couple years, then a certain _someone_ finally accepted the inevitable and agreed to a real date.  And the rest, as they say, is history.  Lance and I have been happily living in each other’s hip pockets ever since.”

“Lance?” Kim asked.

Billy shook his head.  “I told you, he loves nicknames.”

Colin gestured at Billy.  “Lancelot.  If I was Herbert, he…it’s a Spamalot thing.  Remind me to have you fly back next time the show’s in town.”

Kim looked around the living room.  “And thus…Camelot?”

“Exactly!”  Colin looked delighted that she’d made the connection.  “Anyhow, that’s the story of us.”

“I’d mostly tried to explain the ship as a science experiment,” Billy told Kim, “but after we got married, it seemed like a good time to tell him the _whole_ truth.  Especially in case anything weird happened again.  So far, there don’t seem to be any untoward side effects from my time on Aquitar, but I’ve learned not to take anything for granted.”

“Not sure what you’d need a random drama professor in spandex for if things ever hit the fan, but I’ll clear my schedule.”  Colin laughed.  “I could be the Rainbow – no, too on-the-nose.  Silver could be cool.  Or purple.”  He looked Kim over.  “I look great in pink, if you’re interested in changing colors.”

Kim shook her head, tossing one of the throw pillows at him playfully.  She’d only been in town a few hours, and this was already one of the most therapeutic experiences she’d had in years.

 

* * *

 


End file.
